Yuletide Management: Keeping Up the Magic of the Holidays

Everyone has a different reaction to the Christmas season. Some people go all out and totally embrace the hype each year (I know a certain cousin of mine who put up their tree on November 1^st… you know who you are 👀). Others want nothing to do with the season or may not even acknowledge it and just carry on with their lives as normal (these are also known as boring people 😜).

As it currently stands, I seem to gauge myself as somewhere in the middle. I’ve always enjoyed the Christmas season and all of the aspects that come with it like decorating, watching holiday movies, baking, and getting together with family. However, I feel that the season shoots by so quickly that it’s over before you know it. It’s super easy to lose track of time and miss out on doing all of the fun activities.

When I was younger, I was absolutely in love with the Christmas season. Putting together your Christmas list and the anticipation of Christmas day is a feeling unlike any other. Just thinking back on it gives me a warm feeling. I also can’t forget how enjoyable school was around this time of year. We would spend the entire season singing songs and doing festive activities for all of the different religious holidays.  I wish I could get back to this feeling, but there’s just something different about the whole thing once you get older.

A part of getting older is realizing why some don’t enjoy the season (at least for people who partake in the holiday, people of other religions are excused). Part of that is the added responsibility you have in terms of getting presents, attending events, and just trying to manage it all while finding the time to do the activities you want to do.

A main source that I've been observing are the adults of my family. To them, getting prepared for the holidays can feel like work and become a stressful ordeal. We have a large (and crazy) family, so getting around to everyone and making sure everything in order for the holidays can be a daunting task. I definitely see where the pressure is coming from.

That brings us to the question: how do we keep the holidays under control, stress free, and make sure to keep some magic in the season? The answer will be different for everyone as different situations call for different solutions. One tactic that I thought is a good idea is one that can be used outside of the holidays: keeping a schedule. Plan out exactly what day and time you aim to accomplish everything you want to do. That way, you won’t fall behind on any important duties like shopping and you won’t miss out on any activities you want to do. It can be easy to say "I have no time to do anything" but carving out time for each thing is definitely both possible and worth it.

Another tactic is to spruce up everyday tasks is to throw some holiday spice into the mix. Put on some Christmas music as you clean, or put on a Christmas movie in the background as you cook. Also, make an event out of the "work" part of the holidays. Invite your friends to shop with you or get together to wrap gifts and cook. You'll not only make progress on your holiday tasks, but you'll create some memories along the way as well.

If anyone reads this post, feel free to leave a comment on how you manage the holidays. I’m always interested in how others traverse through the season. No matter if you are a Christmas fanatic or a scrooge, I hope that you find happiness in your own way and get to do everything you hope to do this holiday season.